85-year-old grandma runs 10km charity race in 85 minutes
Age is just a number for this grandma, who ran a 10km charity race in the United Kingdom in 85 minutes to celebrate her 85th birthday.
Ms Barbara Thackray, the only participant above 80, also set a personal best time at the Run North West Trafford on March 5, helping to raise money for St Ann’s Hospice in Manchester.
The retired college lecturer, who runs 10km twice a week to keep fit, told Manchester Evening News: “I have raised nearly £2,000 (S$2,885) on my JustGiving page from all the fundraising I have done in the last few years.
“This race is always special to me as my family comes from across the country to run with me and some crossed the finish line with me too!”
Ms Thackray, who picked up running at age 77, ran the race with 11 of her family members. She was greeted by banners and a birthday cake when she crossed the finish line.
She has been raising funds for St Ann’s Hospice for over a decade. It is her way of giving back to the home for the care given to her late sister who died in the 1990s.
“My sister’s death was much better due to St Ann’s Hospice, they’ll do whatever they can for their patient to have the best quality death they possibly can have – and that’s worth supporting,” she told Manchester Evening News.
Ms Thackray was recently chosen to be one of the faces of a new Adidas advertisement, alongside the likes of Liverpool footballer Mo Salah.
She told the BBC that she had seen the advert, adding: “So long as they were prepared to make a significant donation to St Ann’s Hospice, I felt ok about it.”
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